Shamanism
Definition of Shamanism: What is Shamanism?
Shamanism incorporates a range of beliefs and
practices regarding communication with the
spiritual world in which a religious leader,
like a Shaman, enters supernatural realms or
dimensions when the tribe is facing adversity or
to obtain solutions to problems afflicting the
community including sickness. The term
'Shamanism' is derived from the Sanscrit word "sraman"
meaning a worker or toiler. Shamanism is not a
specific religion but a doctrine based on a
belief that physical nature might be brought
under the control of man. Shamanism prevails
among American Indian tribes and blends with
their varied religious beliefs, rituals,
ceremonies and customs. The doctrine associated
with Shamanism is probably one of the oldest
beliefs of man, with its origins probably dating
back to the Stone Age.

Shamanism and Spirits The
belief in spirits was fundamental to Shamanism.
The fundamental belief in Shamanism is that
Nature is alive and every object is controlled
by its own independent spirit or soul. Spirits
inhabit the sky, stars, sun, moon, rivers,
lakes, mountains, forests, trees, plants,
animals, insects, fish, flowers and birds. Some
spirits are good and help men who please them
whereas other spirits are bad and liable to
wreck havoc and harm on people and on tribes. It
is the bad spirits that cause trouble,
suffering, sickness, death and disease.

Shamanism, Medicine, Mystery and ShamansSome
believe that when a man is ill a bad spirit has
taken away his soul or has entered into him. It
is therefore not surprising that the Native
Indians would wish to gain power over these
spirits. In Shamanism a man with knowledge of
spirits and the supernatural was called a
Shaman. Shamans would know protective words and
chants and have knowledge of objects which, if
carried, would disarm bad spirits and protect
their owner. Such knowledge is what the Native
American Indians mean by “medicine” or
“mystery.” The Native Americans who spent
their lives in trying to gain such knowledge are
referred to as medicine men, medicine people,
mystery men, or Shamans.

Shamanism is encompassed in a range of Native
American Beliefs
Shamanism is not a religion as such but is mixed
with other beliefs such as Animism, that, taken as a whole have
strong religious connotations. The
idea and concept behind Shamanism is that people
have a spiritual connection with
animals, supernatural creatures and all elements
of nature.
Shamanism was part of a range of beliefs of the
tribes of Native American Indians
that also included:

Animism - Animism is a belief based on the spiritual
idea that the universe, and all natural objects
within the universe, have souls or spirits. It is
believed that souls or spirits exist not only in
humans but also in animals - refer to
Animal Totems
and Power Animals

Ritualism & Ceremonialism the use of ancient
practises, rituals and ceremonies to further
existing beliefs and Spiritual Healing

Totemism - Totemism
was practiced by Northwest Indian tribes and
centered around the belief of having a natural object or
animate being, such as as a bird or animal, as the
emblem of a family, clan, or tribe. Totemism
encompassed a system of tribal organization
according to their totems

The concepts of Shamanism, Totemism, Ritualism,
Animism and Fetishism should all be considered to gain a
full understanding of the religious beliefs of
the Native American tribes who practised
Shamanism.

Shamanism and Animism -
Animal Totems and their Meanings
The belief in Shamanism is prevalent in many
Native Indian Tribes. There might be some
regional and tribal variations to their beliefs
in Shamanism but there are several common
features that are shared by all forms of
Shamanism:

Spirits exist and they play important roles in the
lives of individuals and in the well-being of the
tribe

Spirits can be good or bad

Shamanism is part of a belief system that also
incorporates elements of beliefs in
Animal Totems as
spirit guides, omens, and message-bearers

Wear
symbolic regalia and use sacred objects in
Shamanistic ceremonies and rituals

Shamanism and the Mound Builders
The ancient Mississippian culture of the Mound
Builders of North America were part of the
Southeastern Ceremonial Complex of American
prehistory (S.E.C.C.) who embraced Shamanism.
The Mississippian Native Americans were the last
of the mound-building cultures of North America
in the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern
United States. Some Native Indian tribes still
retain some elements of the Mississippi culture,
including Shamanism. The picture of the Shaman
at the top of this page depicts an ancient
ritualistic ceremony of the Mound Builders that
adhered to the doctrine of Shamanism.

Native American Rattles and Mask

A shaman was a spiritual leader and healer of
the Mississippian Indians who believed that
within the Shamanism creed that the shaman
communicated with spirits in other worlds.
Shamans used dances, gestures and sounds as the
symbolic powers of Shamanism to enter the spirit
world. Shamans wore ceremonial clothes and
carried sacred objects such as rattles and drums
to incarnate the spirits of nature and amplify
their power. The ancient Shamans of the
Mississippian Indians also used masks that were
believed to hold spiritual powers and would
identify them with the spirits and activate
their power. For additional Information on
Shamanism refer to the article on the
Shaman Symbol.

Shamanism

Native American Shamanism

Shamanism and the beliefs of Animists

The Culture of Shamanism

Words and terminology associated with Shamanism

Meanings of Fetishes & Shamanism

Native American Indian Shamanism, culture and religious beliefs

Pictures and Videos of Native Americans
Shamanism.
Discover the vast selection of
pictures which relate to the History of Native Americans
and illustrate many decorations and tattoos used by American Indians. The pictures show the clothing,
tattoos, war
paint, weapons
and decorations of various Native Indian tribes that can
be used as a really useful
educational history resource for kids and children of all ages
and a means to study their interpretation.
We have included pictures to accompany the
main topic of this section - Shamanism and Native American Culture. The videos enable fast access to the
images, paintings and pictures together with information
and many historical facts.